"Behind me was a Filipino man coughing vigorously. Nothing could be done and we sat in that plane for more than 4 hours. We had our masks on the whole time. We suspect this is where I picked-up the virus."

"That night of March 3, I decided to play it safe and that I be immediately tested. St. Luke’s hospital did not see the need to test me. The hospital said my symptoms were mild, and Japan is not a Covid-19 hotspot.

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"I insisted. I had to insist! I was tested. I was discharged. I went home in BGC [Taguig]."

"It is easy to take the symptoms for granted. A cough. Sore throat. Muscle pains. One need not have a high fever to be Covid-19 positive. Looking at the DOH spreadsheet, one can even be totally asymptomatic."

"For two weeks in the hospital, it was not the physical pain that is frightening! It was the psychological effect that made it difficult. I was vomiting endlessly and had diarrhea probably due to stress."

"I did not choose to get sick. But as soon as I did, I immediately had myself tested. I allowed myself quarantined in a hospital deprived of staff and funds. I was not in the most comfortable situation.

"Because I disclosed being infected to my workplace according to company protocol, all my contacts were tested by the Department of Health and quarantined. The DOH advised me that so far, my contacts have been cleared and are asymptomatic. For this, I am grateful."

"I learned about the extraordinary love of my wife and daughter. Evie [Carlo's wife] and her cousin, Annette, looked for people in the government that could help me while in RITM. Evie, together with her sister, Gela, tirelessly looked for a hospital that will take me in. Each and every one was refusing to take me in.

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"I was desperate because the pneumonia that I acquired was from the hospital. I was coughing profusely, and chills were getting worse by the day.

"She kept me company for hours and days to keep me psychologically and emotionally sane! She prayed with me profusely! She called on people to pray for me. I knew I married right!"